Travel Insurance: Do You Really Need It?

Travel insurance sits in an uncomfortable category: most people buy it hoping to never use it, and those who skip it gamble that nothing will go wrong. The truth about whether you actually need it is more nuanced than the answer either insurers or sceptics want to give.

The Case FOR Travel Insurance

The argument for travel insurance is essentially a medical one. Emergency medical evacuation — being airlifted from a remote trekking region or medevaced from a developing country to a facility that can treat you — costs $50,000–200,000 USD. Without insurance, that bill lands entirely on you (or on your family, if you cannot pay).

This is the core reason travel insurance exists, and it is a compelling one. If you are hiking in Nepal, diving in Indonesia, or doing any adventure activity in a country without high-quality emergency medical infrastructure, medical evacuation cover is not optional.

What Good Travel Insurance Actually Covers

• Emergency medical treatment — hospital bills, surgery, medications abroad.
• Medical evacuation — transport to a suitable medical facility or home.
• Trip cancellation / interruption — reimbursement if you must cancel for covered reasons (illness, death of family member, natural disaster).
• Baggage loss and delay — compensation if an airline loses or delays your bags.
• Flight delays and missed connections — accommodation and meal costs if stuck.
• Personal liability — if you accidentally injure someone or damage property.

When You Might NOT Need It

There are scenarios where additional travel insurance is genuinely redundant:

• You are travelling within the EU with a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
• Your credit card provides comprehensive travel insurance (many premium cards do — check the actual policy document, not the brochure).
• You are visiting a country with reciprocal healthcare agreements with your home country.
• You are travelling domestically within your home country.

"The people who most need travel insurance are the people who can least afford the alternative. A $40 policy feels unnecessary until the day it is the only thing standing between you and a $100,000 bill."

Adventure Sports: Read the Fine Print

Most standard travel insurance policies exclude adventure sports unless you pay for an add-on. This typically includes: skiing and snowboarding, scuba diving beyond a certain depth, motorcycle riding, paragliding, rock climbing, and bungee jumping.

If your trip includes any activity with meaningful physical risk, read the exclusions list carefully before purchasing. Paying for a policy that does not cover the thing most likely to hurt you is worse than having no policy at all.

How Much Should You Pay?

A reasonable travel insurance policy for a two-week trip costs $40–120 depending on destination, duration, age, and coverage level. The variables that increase cost most significantly are:

• Travel to the USA (medical costs are extremely high)
• Age over 65
• Pre-existing medical conditions
• Adventure sports add-ons
• Cancel-for-any-reason upgrades

The Verdict

For most travellers to most destinations: yes, buy travel insurance. The medical evacuation cover alone justifies the cost on any international trip. The $60–80 it costs for a standard policy is the smallest line item in any travel budget and the one with the highest potential return.

The specific policy matters more than whether you have one. Compare coverage, not just price. And always check your credit card benefits first — you may already be partially covered.

Planning your trip? Find and compare hotels on JustCheckin once your insurance is sorted, or use our travel tips search for more practical guides like this one.